The Globe and Mail received the 2004 Michener Award for its inquiry into the Federal government sponsorship program. The investigation led to one of the biggest political scandals in Canadian history.

The first award covered the calendar year 1970. Since then, a rich variety of news organizations have had their names inscribed on Michener trophies — print and broadcast, large and small, French and English, East and West. The Michener was also the first national journalism award open to both broadcast and print media. The award goes to the news organization itself, rather than the individual journalists involved in the story.